A Role to Play
by Mistysplash
Summary: When Sorrelcloud, deputy of MoorClan, finds out some unexpected news that may impact her position, she arranges a meeting with her leader to discuss it. But more than one predicament will be solved in the den... An one-shot.


**If you're wondering, yes, this is canon to my other story "Two Worlds". This occurred somewhere in-between Chapter 8 and 9.**

* * *

A blade of grass, slowly being swished around at the wind's mercy, was not different from all of the other grass in the field. Light glinted off of it, with no clouds to mottle the pattern it made. The edge of the field was reduced to dirt thanks to the murky river.

And in that field was Sorrelcloud.

She smushed the grass as she padded away from the chaotic river. A dead rabbit dangled from her jaws like a kit, blood dripping from its snapped jugular. It was smeared into its wet fur. Her calico pelt was slick with sweat and water. She dearly wished to get to her destination, as she was very cold.

It was not long before she had reached her humble abode. Other cats were swarming in the rocky dip in the ground. Some turned around to stare at her. The she-cat placed the rabbit onto the well-shaped fresh-kill pile. Looking around, she realized that Spottedstar was not in the clearing.

"Briarheart, do you know where Spottedstar went?"

The brown tabby spun around to face the deputy. Some clumps of meat clung to her face, eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Um.. I-I think she went on a patrol."

Briarheart went back to finishing her prey, while the calico let out a sigh.

"Spottedstar is so busy, she hardly has time to relax... if she dies, will I be able to lead the Clan like she does?" she thought.

Sorrelcloud licked her fur the wrong way, hoping to speed up her fur warming process.

She was still shivering.

* * *

She had not reached her tail, when she heard the paw steps of the returning patrol. Spottedstar was among them.

"Spottedstar? Can I talk to you in your den? Alone?"

The leader grabbed the rabbit that had been caught earlier, and approached her. "Of course. I always have room for my deputy."

Both cats went to the end of the fallen tree and went in the recess it had created.

Inside, it was dark and cool. The den floor was comprised of a soft, springy moss nest. Spottedstar settled in what Sorrelcloud assumed to be her sleeping spot.

"So, tell me Sorrelcloud," Spottedstar asked, her voice muffled by the food she had in her mouth, "What is it that you want to discuss with me?"

"I-I'm expecting kits."

Spottedstar sat up, her ears perked. Eyes widened, she hacked up the mouthful of rabbit she'd been chewing on. "You're what?!"

"I told you, I'm expecting kits. Ashleaf and Raventail already know."

"What were you and Raventail thinking?! KITS?! How do you expect to be the deputy MoorClan needs if you're being dragged down by kits?"

"Spottedstar, I discussed this with Ashleaf... I'm still at the stage where I can walk around and not affect the kits. You can see that, can't you? I caught that rabbit you're eating."

"Hmph... I suppose. How do you expect to do any of your duties when your kits are born?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I was thinking that one of the senior warriors could do it until the kits are old enough to do things on their own."

"What a ridiculous idea... I still can't believe you did this, Sorrelcloud. It's a huge strain on me, and our Clan is being surrounded on all sides."

Sorrelcloud was furious. "Well if I was a male, you'd have been perfectly fine with it, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, it would have, because you still would have been able to do your job!" the black spotted tabby snarled.

Sorrelcloud dug her claws into the moss, her bluish-green eyes narrowed in anger. "Do you have any idea on sexist you sound?! You are currently the only female leader in the forest right now, yet you have the nerve to discriminate against me, simply because I am holding a high power position AND expecting kits?"

"That's right, Sorrelcloud! I will not tolerate you having kits, and I will be removing you from your position!"

There was a thick, heated silence between the two she-cats.

"I bet Owlheart would be proud of you right now," Sorrelcloud spat, "Having a misogynist female kit. She would be so proud of you."

"DON'T BRING MY MOTHER INTO THIS!"

"You even try to act like a tom, because you're simply afraid of being a she-cat."

The brown tabby looked at the ground in embarrassment. She started shaking, before letting out line after line of soft mewls. Sorrelcloud realized that her tough leader was crying.

"Oh, MoonClan, I'm such a failure. I'm a complete failure to this Clan..."

"Spottedstar, listen," Sorrelcloud said comfortingly, "You don't have to be a tom to have power, Spottedstar. Females can have it all as well. You're living proof. You just have to be a leader. That's all there is to it."

The leader of MoorClan looked up at her deputy. "Sorrelcloud, I'm sorry. I just... you sounded so much like my mother, I-"

"It's fine, Spottedstar. We've all had our days."

Spottedstar hesitantly took a bite of the rabbit, which was still laying by her paws. Once she'd swallowed it, she whispered, "I think that Lionpelt would make a great choice."

"So you're not replacing me?"

"No, I'm not going to do that. I think that would be unfair. When the time comes, you'll be sent to the nursery, and until your kits are independent, like you said, Lionpelt will take over your duties. Then you will resume your position as deputy."

Sorrelcloud dipped her head in respect. "I cannot thank you enough, Spottedstar. I shall go tell Lionpelt about the arrangement. Do you think you should call a Clan meeting and tell everyone else about this change?"

"I think so, Sorrelcloud. It will greatly impact our Clan."


End file.
